Our two boys are at that wondrous age (4 and a half and nearly 7) where Christmas is a magical event. The excitement of putting up the decorations and the Christmas tree, the countdown to Christmas that at that age seems to last forever (still 8 more sleeps to go), the sharing of special food and treats, and of course, the wonder and mystery of Santa and the gifts that he brings.

The joy of Christmas was put into a whole new perspective today when my four and a half year old loudly piped up with the statement to a few of his friends that “sometimes Santa gets his presents from China because he is too busy to make them all himself!”

My friend and I rolled around in laughter at his instinctive comedic timing, acerbic wit and insight beyond his years; but as we dried our tears I was also struck with a sense of sadness. My child’s experience of Christmas is partially consumed by the inevitable cheap, plastic toys made for pittance in a country where labour standards are far lower than ours. My husband and I take full responsibility for meeting their demands, and as Christmas rolls ever nearer, undoubtedly the Christmas stockings will again this year be partially filled with light sabers and plastic figurines.

However, it has made me take stock and think about whether this is really the kind of Christmas experience I want our family to have. I know for sure that for me Christmas is much more than presents. It is about sharing with family and friends. It is about a celebration that is largely expressed through food that is prepared and cooked with love. Good, wholesome food shared around the table with laughter. For many, it is the one time of year when the family get together and all contribute. We take the time to prepare and take care to ensure that all have plenty to eat. We bake special treats, we take time and reflect.

So the one thing that I am going to make sure of this year is that the food that we share does not reflect the toys that find their way into the Christmas stockings. I will not be serving cheap, imported ham that we end up eating for weeks on end. Instead, I will buy a smaller, carefully smoked local ham packed with real flavour. I will take the care to source produce from local farmers and growers, who are all busy working hard at this time of year; barely with time to stop for Christmas. My Christmas this year will be a celebration of what is near and dear to me – local, Australian produce prepared and served with love, affection.

Merry Christmas to all!